Grip for cable railways



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. VOGEL. GRIP POR CABLE RAILWAYS.

Patented Oct. 4,1892.

vm: News wetens cc, mooufno., wmwncfou, n, c.

(No Model.)j

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. VOGEL. GRIP POR CABLE RAILWAYS.

No. 483,775. Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

:ns co., moro-mno.. wnsmuuvoh, u. c

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

C. VOGEL.

GRIP FORv CABLE RAILWAYS. No. 483,775. Patented Oct. 4, 1892..

UNITED STATES- CI-IARLS VOGEL, OF SAN ANSELMO, CALIFORNIA.

GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,775, dated October4, 1892.

Application filed October 24, 1891.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES VOGEL, of San Anselmo, in the State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grips forCable Railways, of which the following is a specification.

In Letters Patent of the United States No. 359,053, dated March 13,1387, I have described a single grip; and the principal object of mypresent invention is to adapt the principles embodied in said singlegrip toa duplex grip suitable to be used with two cables.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of my grip,partly in section. Fig. 2 is avertical section of the same through theline of Fig. l, looking toward theleft. Figs. 3 and 4 are a plan and endview of the left jaw detached. Figs. 5 and 6 are a plan, partly insection, and end View of what I have termed a bridge-piece detached.Figs. 7 and 8 are a plan and end View of the righthand jaw detached.Fig. 9 is an outside end view of one of the end pieces detached. Fig. l0is an inside end view of the same. Fig. 1l is a vertical section of thesame on the line y y of Fig. 9, and Fig. 12 is a horizontal section ofthe same on the line .z .e of Fig. 9. Fig. 13 is a vertical crosssectionthrough the jaws on the line w w, Fig. l, looking toward the left.

l is a horizontal iron frame, which is supported by or secured to therunning-gear of the car.

2 and 3 are plungers extending upwardly from opposite ends of the frame1, and between these two plungers the frame 1 is provided with verticalopenings for the passage of the hangers and connecting-rods hereinafterreferred to.

4. 5 6 7 is a vertical rectangular frame, to which are attached oneither side the springsockets 8 9, adapted to fit over the plungers 2and 3. A coil-spring, as 10, is interposed between the top of eachplunger and the top of each socket, so that the weight of the frame 4 56 7 and the mechanism carried by it is supported through thecoil-springs upon the plungers of the frame l. Rods l1 and 12 extendvertically and loosely through the sockets 8 9 and the plungers 2 3, soas to admit of the compression of the spring; but these rods areprovided at top and bottom with .nuts 13, 14, 15, and 16, which act asstops to limit the up- Serial No. 409,709. (No model.)

ward movement of the spring-sockets. The branches 17 1S of thefoot-lever 19 are pivoted on opposite sides of the cross-piece 4: in themiddle, and to the extremities of these branches are pivoted the rods 2O21, which at their opposite ends are pivoted each sideto the frame 1 atthe middle thereof. The pivotal connections with the rods 2O and 21serve as a fulcrum for the forked footle ver 19, so that the depressionof the same causes a corresponding depression of the frame 4 5 6 7 inantagonism to the coil-springs, as l0. From near each end of this frameeX- tend downwardly the hangers 22 23, to the lower end of each of whichis secured the 'part shown in Fig. 9, (outside end view,) Fig.

-lO, (inside end view,) Fig. l1, (vertical section,) and Fig. 12,(horizontal section.) This part is a casting presenting a fiat innersurface 24 and twin cones 25 26 on the outside. From the junction ofthese two cones extends upward at each side of the hanger 22 an arm ofL-section composed of a longitudinal web 27* (bolted one onto cach sideof the hanger) and a transverse web 28. From the junction of the twocones extends downwardly the transverse Iiange 29, perforated so as toreceive the rod 30. The longitudinal recesses 31 32 are cut one in thebottom of each cone, through which, when in use, the cable extends.Between the two end twin cone-pieces extends the stationary piece,(shown in Figs. 5 and 6,) consisting of the bridge portion 33, boredlon# gitudinally at the middle to receive the bar 30 and the two seriesof lugs 34 34 3i and 35 35 35, one series at each extremity of thebridge bored longitudinally to receive the shafts 27 27. Each cone isbored longitudinally, as shown at 36, Fig. 1l, to receive an end of oneof these shafts. Then the two end twin cones, with the bridge-piecebetween them, are combined by the rod 30 and the shafts 27 27 and arerespectively secured to the hangers 22 23, the whole constitutes a irmframe for carrying the movable jaws, which are of the forms shown inFigs. 3 @t and 7 8. Each of these movable jaws consists of bosses 37,bored longitudinally to receive the shaft 27, and from each end of eachjaw projects a circular Iiange 38, adapted to enter the counterbore 39Xin the end twin cone-piece, and thus act as a journal for theoscillating jaw. Lugs 39 project from each jaw between the IOO bosses,leaving sufficient space between to receive the lugs 34 and 35,respectively, and the lugs 39 are bored to admit the shafts 27. Theleft-hand jaw shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is provided with the arms 40,projecting one from each boss, and the right-hand j aw is provided withthe arms 41. The arms 40 are bored to receive the pivots 42 and the arms4l are bored to receive the pivots 43.

On the opposite side of the center of each shaft 27 from the arms 40 and41 are the jaws proper 44 and 45, which are respectively faced bydie-pieces 46 and. 47. The stationary jaws are formed on thebridge-piece at 48 and 49, and are also provided with diepieces 50 and51, as shown. The latter diepieces project beyond the ends of thebridgepiece and are dovetailed into the end conical pieces, and therebyadd further solidify to the structure. When the movable jaws arecombined with the bridge and end conical pieces, as shown in Figs. 1 and2, by moving the arms 40 or 4l up or down either movable jawy may bemade to oscillate around its shaft 27 to or from its stationary jaw, andsince it is necessary to grasp one cable 52 after releasing the other 53it is necessary that the movable jaws should oscillate inversely, and itremains to provide the necessary mechanism for that purpose.

54 is a vertically-reciprocating connectingplate, which is connectedwith links 55 by the pivot 56, and these links are in turn connectedwith the arms 41 of the right-hand jaw by the pivot 43.

57 is a vertically-reciprocatin g plate, which is connected with links58 by the pivot 59, and these links are in turn connected with one ofthe arms 40 of the left-hand jaw. The other arm 40 is connected by asimilar arrangement with the vertically-reciprocating plate 60. Theconnecting-plates 57 and 60 move in unison and inversely to the plate54. The connecting-plates 57 and 60 are secured to the head 6l, which isslotted be tween their points of attachment to admit of the passage ofthe connecting-plate 54, and which head 61 is above the level of theslotirons 62 63 of the conduit. This head 61 forms the lower cross-pieceof a rectangular frame, also containing the side pieces 64 65 andtheupper cross-piece 66. The connecting-plate 54 is connected above thehead 61 with a head 67, which forms the lower crosspiece of arectangular frame, also containing the side pieces 68 69 and the uppercrosspiece 70.

7l are guideways on the inner sides of the side pieces 64 and 65, onwhich the crosspieces 67 and 70 run.

79and 80 are pieces secured by bolts between the iianges 28, leaving aslotted space between them for the passage of the heads, as 33, at thelower ends of the connectingplates, which heads are thus guided andsteadied.

72 is a vertical shaft provided at the top with a hand device 73,steadied near its top by a frame 74, mounted on the cross-piece 66 andhaving a bearing in the cross-piece 4, wherein it is prevented fromlongitudinal movement by the rcollars 75 and 76. This shaft extendsthrough the cross-pieces 66 and 70, with one of which vit engages by arighthand screw-thread 77 and with the other of which it engages by aleft.- hand screwthread 78.

The operation is as follows: Suppose the right-hand jaws to be grippingthe cable, as shown in Fig. 2. If it be desired to release from bothcables, the shaft 72 will be turned so as to open the right-hand movablejaw. This will necessarily partially close the lefthand movable jaw,butby stopping the movement about midway neither jaw will grip its cable.By continuing the movement the lefthand jaw may be made to grip. Theseare all the motions necessary when the operation is performed where thecable rests upon the supporting-pulleys, but between the pulleys anadditional operation is necessary. This consists in thrusting thejaw-carrying frame 4 6 7 downward by the foot-lever 19 in antagonism tothe springs 10 to the extent required,

the spring returning the frame to its normal position upon the releaseof the foot-lever. It is stopped from farther upward movement by thebolts 11 and 12. By this arrangement both pairs of jaws are alwayssubstantially in IOO of the mechanism for opening or closing the,v y

grips. The two pairs of twin cones, one pair at each end of the jaws,bytheir inclined surfaces prevent any abrupt collision such as mightresult if the square ends of the jaws were to come in contact with anobstruction.

IIO

The normal level of the jaws with respect to the cable-pulley supports85 and 86 is shown in Fig. 2, and it will be observed that as the cable53 rests in the groove on the periphery of the pulley the edges or lipsof the jaw diepieces protrude in a downwardly-inclined position and theedge of the movable jaw is slightly farther from the center of the shaftIZO 27 than is the end of the horizontal diameter y of the cable. Theacting surface of lthe movable jaw, moreover, is concave, so thatassoonl as'it strikes the lower part of the cable the circular form ofthe cable and the circular concave form of the jaw co-operate as twoinclines to lift the cable. When the jaws have closed, therefore, thecable will be lifted clear of the pulley-support, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the above description and the drawings the form of construction hasone member of each pair of jaws stationary; but I do not desire to limitmyself to this construction, because l have embodied the invention inanother form, in which this feature is absent and which (although Iintend to make it the subject of another application) I desire to becomprehended within the scope of this application.

I claim- 1. A grip for cable railways, consisting, essentially, of twoside-by-side pairs of gripping-jaws having pivotal opening and closingmovements, said jaws being set at a level which will permit them tograsp the cable as it rests upon its pulley-supports, substantially asdescribed.

2. A grip for cable railways, consisting, essentially, of twoside-by-side pairs of gripping-jaws having pivotal opening and closingmovements, said jaws being set at a level which will permit them tograsp the cable as it rests upon its pulley-supports, and the actingfaces of said jaws being constructed substantially as described, wherebythe closing of the grip lifts the cable slightly above itspulley-support, substantially as described.

3. A grip for cable railways, consisting, essentially, of twoside-by-side pairs of gripping-jaws having pivotal opening and closingmovements, said jaws being set at a level which will permit the loweredge of each movable jaw to strike the periphery of the cable below itshorizontal diameter, whereby the act of closing the jaw lifts the cableslightly from its support, substantially as described.

t. In combination, two side-by-side pulleycable supports, the peripheryof each of which is depressed toward the middle, and two pairs ofgripping-jaws having pivotal opening and closing movements, and theedges of each pair of jaws protruding downward to facilitate thegripping of the cable as it lies in the depression of the pulleyperiphery, substantially as described.

5. In combination, two pairs of jaws and two cables arrangedsubstantially as described, whereby when either pair of jaws grips itscable the other pair is at such a level as will permit it to grip itscable as the cable rests upon the pulley-supports, substantially asdescribed.

6. In combination, the two pairs of grippingjaws side by side and havinga circumferential opening and closing movement, and two pairs of twincones located one pair at each end of the jaws, whereby the jaws areguided by obstructions, substantially as' described.

7. In combination, a vertically-reciprocating connecting-plate, twojaw-shafts located one on either side of the line of movement of saidjaws, and a guide connected with said end pieces below the level of theslot-irons, whereby the alignment of said connectingplates in the slotis maintained, substantially as described.

9. In combination, two pairs of grippingjaws, twovertically-reciprocating connectingplates, and two links whereby thesaid connecting-plates are secured to the arms of the jaws,respectively, substantially as described.

10. In combination, two side-by-side pairs of gripping-jaws, twovertically-reciprocating plates arranged in a plane extending betweensaid pairs of jaws, and connections between each plate and the movablejaw of one pair, substantially as described.

1l. In combination, two jaw-shafts, a support for the same at each end,a bridge-piece embracing both of said shafts, a rod engaging saidbridge-piece at its middle, and end pieces whereby the ends of said rodare connected with the shaft-supports, substantially as described.

12. In combination, two side-by-side pairs of jaws, a connecting-platefor each arranged in a plane extending between said jaws, and mechanismwhereby said connecting-plates are operated inversely, substantially asdescribed.

13. In combination, two side-by-side pairs of jaws, means whereby theinner member of each pair is secured in a fixed position, means wherebythe outer member of each pair is pivotally secured, twovertically-reciprocatin g plates, and means whereby one of said platesis secured to each of said `pivoted jaw members, substantially asdescribed.

14. In a railway car, in combination, a spring-mounted frame, two pairsof jaws carried by said frame, two moving frames mounted upon saidfirst-named frame, and mechanism whereby the motions of said movingframes are respectively communicated to said jaws, substantially asdescribed.

15. In a railway-car, a spring-mounted frame, two pairs of jaws carriedby the same, two moving frames mounted upon said firstnamed frame,mechanism whereby the motions of said moving frames are respectivelycommunicated to said jaws, and mechanism whereby said first-named framemay be thrust downward in antagonism to its spring-support,substantially as described. j

16. In a railway-car, a frame supported on the car, two pairs ofj awscarried by said frame, two moving frames carried by said lirst-namedframe, mechanism whereby the motions of said moving frames arecommunicated to the jaws, and mechanism having a bearing on saidfirst-named frame, whereby said moving frames are moved inversely,substantially as described.

1 CHARLES VOGEL. Witnesses:

FRED. L. KEMPER, V. T. WILSON.

IIO

